Stan, I like your selection, as for your mix, I would not use the sand, because I think it would make your mix to heavy.

Maybe find a good seed starting soil and then add more perlite and some gravel. Once you have your soil mixed and its moist take a hand full and act like you are making a snow ball and it it sticks together you need to add more perlite, if it falls apart you are ready to sterilize.

Just a suggestion, everyone must create their own method, mostly by trial and error.

I think it is a great time to plant a seeds in this time april and may . After that the rain season start and the growth of the seeds the water is a necessary .So according to me that the time here display is a great and the good for the seeds.

Sand is heavy. Try it. Bucket of sand or bucket of peat, no comparison.

Also, the fairly small particle size nicely fills up all the gaps you (*should*) have created with perlite or whatever, which reduces drainage and reduces air content in the soil. Sand doesn't hold a huge amount of water itself, but wet sand holds almost no air either and that is the real killer.

Most little seedlings really like a fairly light open soil (not big rocks open!) that they can get a root into.

I have "a lot" of perlite and next to that, I didn't have bought anything yet. Things I can buy directly from the stores are: gravel, potting soil and cactus soil. (cactus soil isn't that great you've said)

Other products I'll probably also find, but then I'll have to search a bit harder.

My goal is to create a mixture that is close to perfect, but also possible for me.

Last week I've bought Seramis for my older cacti. (I've heard this is more or less the same as Turface)

Is this something to add to my seed-mixture this year? I'm still planning the soil I'll use. I'll use perlite and cacti-soil(store). Last year I've also used gravel and even river-sand. (25 out of 45 have survived)

-So my question is like: What ingredients should I add? (keep in mind that I have perlite, cacti-soil and seramis. If I need to buy something else, just tell me )

Everything looks great! You will have a LOT of Lophs with 60 seeds planted. They are some of the most reliable plants from seed for me. The ones that usually don't make it past seedling are victims of human (me!) misadventure.

Disclaimer: I'm in sunny Arizona, so any advice I give may not apply in your circumstances.

or Tim, in my case mysterious forces (wind, cat, birds mice, or something else) that knocks them off my shelf. I got some Loph seeds that I need to sow soon!Gypscoprotheres:BTW great assortment. I also have some Saguaro seeds to try from my own plants. I will have to see how they do, although the seeds aren't very fresh, I am not sure how fresh they need to be to work. Good luck!

I've already grown some Lophophora-s too and also some Trichocereus species, so they won't be the problem (I hope). (BTW, the ones that died I've killed myself by letting a larger Peyote fall on top of it :S )

Browningia Microsperma I'll give the same treatment as Trichocereus and I think (hope) Astrophytum asterias will germinate under the same circumstances as Lophophora. (which I've given the same treatment as Trichocereus)

Now... I'm a little bit worried about the Saguaro seeds. I have no idea if they're easy or hard to germinate. Should I give them the same treatment as the rest?

I'm now planning to use the following soil:-50% cacti-soil-30% Perlite-20% gravel

And now my greatest worry: Aztekium ritteri... I've read that these have some difficulties to germinate. I'm planning to use the following:-50% cacti-soil-30% Perlite-20% gravelThe same stuff I'll use for the rest, but with these I'll use a sieve to make it all very fine and also extra thin gravel. Not sure if this will solve the problem, but the seeds are so tiny, so I hope that by doing this, I'll increase the chance of germination.

Commercial cactus soil found in big box stores is merely marketing so they can charge more. True it has "some" pumice and sand added but not nearly enough to be used right out of the bag. Basic potting soil is essentially the same (without the pumice/sand) for a cheaper price. We use the potting soil screened 1/4" to get rid of the tree branches ( ) and then add our other ingredients but the potting soil is used in very low quantities.

Last Friday I've been sowing and two days later, the first A. Asterias came up! Great to see a quick result. (19 out of 20 are growing right now)

The day after, my C. Gigantea-s started to pop-up very quickly after each other. I've bought a package that should contain 20 seeds. I've made a deal with a friend of mine to give him 5, so I've left 5 seeds inside the package and used the rest. Right now there are 17 Saguaro-s growing! That's 113.3% success.. Hmm..

Since yesterday, the L. Williamsii seeds has started to came out. (haven't count them yet)

And today, the first A. Ritteri has shown up! Now I'm still waiting for the other 39, but for the first 5 days, I think I'm doing well!

Also about three/four T. Terscheckii are growing since today.

The T. Spachianus and Bridgesii are still asleep. The same for my favorite: B. Microsperma. (same region)

My experience from last year tells me that my T. Peruvianus also has taken a while before they've popped-up. (about 1/2 weeks later than the Loph-s)

I've taken some pictures, but I haven't post them yet. They're kind of bad, because of the plastic on top of the containers.